The announcement to scrap the visitors’ bar to enter the campus at Visva-Bharati, made by its newly appointed vice-chancellor Prabir Kumar Ghosh, did not last 24 hours.

On Saturday, the varsity administration issued a news release revoking Friday’s statement, clarifying the decision to reopen the entire campus for visitors would not be implemented “immediately”.

Ghosh, who assumed the chair of the Visva-Bharati VC on Wednesday, claimed on Friday that within 24 hours of taking charge, he had granted permission to reopen the entire campus to visitors and tourists.

According to a source, following this announcement, a group of senior varsity officials met with the VC and explained why the decision could not be implemented immediately for logistical reasons.

“The VC explained why such a reopening is not possible soon. We have to consider open-air classes, the sanctity of several heritage spots, and the need to devise a detailed plan before allowing crowds inside the campus. He also agreed with the officials and said that his earlier statement should be clarified. So, a fresh clarification was issued,” said a senior university official.

A source noted that the clarification in the press release itself indicated that the earlier announcement had been made hastily and without sufficient consideration. The detailed statement outlined numerous factors that must be addressed before reopening the campus to visitors.

“However, it is true that the area will be made accessible to the general public in the near future, though in a strictly controlled manner. This will happen only after the proper modus operandi of such access is finalised and fixed, i.e., on which days of the week the area will be made accessible, in what numbers, in what format, etc. Such heedfulness is necessitated by advertency to the World Heritage Status that Santiniketan has received from Unesco,” the release reads.

“Under no circumstances, a visit is or will be allowed within the Asrama Area during the school hours of Patha-Bhavana (i.e., till 01.30 P.M. on all days of the week, except Wednesdays and Sundays),” it added.

A senior varsity professor pointed out that the detailed clarification suggested no concrete plan in place before the initial announcement.

Visva-Bharati’s acting public relations officer, Atig Ghosh, clarified: “We’ve planned a heritage walk in the Santiniketan heritage area, but we need some time to implement this.”

An official said the varsity could organise a heritage walk similar to those in the country and abroad, with security and trained guides for visitors while preserving the sanctity of heritage monuments. “It can generate revenue,” the official said.

The rapid sequence of the announcement and its revocation surprised many officials and long-time residents
of Santiniketan.

Many residents stressed that though the VC is new, he should be careful before making announcements that impact a larger community, given that Visva-Bharati is not just a central university but also closely linked to Rabindranath Tagore, who is deeply embedded in Bengal’s ethos.

Sudripta Tagore, a descendant of the Tagore family, said: “It would have been better if such a welcome statement (of letting visitors see the campus) had not
been retracted.”